Guinness moving into food business

Guinness is continuing to build its licensing programme as it readies for its 250th anniversary next year, teaming up with Yorkshire sausage maker Debbie & Andrew's.

The deal will see co-branded pies, sausages, burgers, soup and barbecue ribs in supermarkets and pubs in the UK and Ireland in 2009.

According to a report on The Times Online, the deal could nearly triple the size of Debbie & Andrews, and is just the start in Guinness' project to build a £15 million branded food business in the next three to five years.

"We see real growth in licensing for us over time and there is demand for it," John Roscoe, Guinness' British brand director was quoted as saying in The Times.

The first Debbie & Andrew's products, all developed alongside Guinness' master brewer in Dublin, will go on sale next spring.

Guinness - part of the Diageo empire - has previously tied up with Marmite, Irish bakers Coles for Christmas puddings and Irwin's for Guinness bread.